Anyone using a small microwave when car camping

rockwind1

rockwind1

Rank I

Enthusiast I

231
las vegas
First Name
kevin
If so, which one. Has anyone found a small microwave that will runoff the 400 W plug in a Toyota forerunner? The way I’ve been camping lately as a pre-cook a bunch of breakfast and dinner meals that need heating up and my jet boil stove is really only good for heating up water
 
I thought about it. Smallest I could find was at Best Buy which was a 700w unit. I have a 1000w sine inverter but wouldn’t comfortable use a 700w microwave unless I had at least a 1500w inverter.
 
RoarinRow said:
I thought about it. Smallest I could find was at Best Buy which was a 700w unit. I have a 1000w sine inverter but wouldn’t comfortable use a 700w microwave unless I had at least a 1500w inverter.
Click to expand...
Why. It seems like you have a 300 W comfort zone
 
rockwind1 said:
Why. It seems like you have a 300 W comfort zone
Click to expand...
From what I researched on microwaves and inverters I should have double the wattage to compensate for the initial start up and to sustain power for x time.
 
RoarinRow said:
From what I researched on microwaves and inverters I should have double the wattage to compensate for the initial start up and to sustain power for x time.
Click to expand...
fair enough,,, i am not sure if the battery can handl it,,,, i sorta thought i had my 4runner running, it would help but that could be wrong,,,, it may need a bigger deep cycle battery. sigh,,, I JUST WANT SOME HOT FOOD!
 
Autism Family Travels said:
You can use any portable stove to have hot food. You want hot food fast by the sounds of it. Ha ha.
Click to expand...
WELL,,, 4runners are kinda small and i carry a jet boil but it kinda sucks to heat stuff on it,,,even with the little pot adaptor. it just gets to hot so if you try to heat up some pre-cooked breaky or even beans and meat for a burrito,,, it just burns it and messes up the pot. so i just thought there might be a little micro out there but the all seem to be 700w for the smallest and like the gent above said,,, probably need a way bigger inverter. so it is not that i want it fast,, i just don't want to burn it and putting in the old coleman stove,, it's kind of big and takes up a lot of room so...just trying to think outside the box
 
  • Like
Reactions: Autism Family Travels
rockwind1 said:
WELL,,, 4runners are kinda small and i carry a jet boil but it kinda sucks to heat stuff on it,,,even with the little pot adaptor. it just gets to hot so if you try to heat up some pre-cooked breaky or even beans and meat for a burrito,,, it just burns it and messes up the pot. so i just thought there might be a little micro out there but the all seem to be 700w for the smallest and like the gent above said,,, probably need a way bigger inverter. so it is not that i want it fast,, i just don't want to burn it and putting in the old coleman stove,, it's kind of big and takes up a lot of room so...just trying to think outside the box
Click to expand...

I'm kind of confused, you don't have room for a Coleman stove, but you have room for a microwave oven?

Heck, I'm in a FJ Cruiser and I carry 2 stoves. A Coleman 2 burner and a MSR Whisperlite Universal for sub freezing temps.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MBroenkow and Downs
BrewsterII said:
I'm kind of confused, you don't have room for a Coleman stove, but you have room for a microwave oven?

Heck, I'm in a FJ Cruiser and I carry 2 stoves.
Click to expand...
i would suffer the indignity of a microwave in order to heat stuff up easilly,,,a coleman used to heat stuff up is a pita for me,,,,,i have the 2 burner. it would appear a microwave is unrealistic at this point so perhaps i will break out the coleman and try it. i will say,,, i am not really out there for the sake of overlanding or car camping,,, it just do it for another activity which takes up most of my time,,, camping is just a forced necessity more or less,,,,,which is fine
 
Not an electrician, but read the interwebs. 1000 watt microwave is output power, input will be a more.
I see some full time rvers use instapots that can run off battery, and can warm stuff. Not as fast and clean as a microwave. I have an instapot but I don't use it - its an 8 qt and I am one guy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MBroenkow
Kind of sound like my friend who doesnt like to cook, why not just get the microwave you want and then just warm food up every time your out instead of cooking
 
If you want to use a very small microwave, then you would probably require 2000w inverter to run more than 30 seconds. Inverters are rated at peak output, that’s not constant run. As mentioned previous find the wattage for the appliance you intended to use and double the wattage for the intended inverter. Most 120v microwaves run in excess of 10a, I would say an average of 12a.
 
rockwind1 said:
WELL,,, 4runners are kinda small and i carry a jet boil but it kinda sucks to heat stuff on it,,,even with the little pot adaptor. it just gets to hot so if you try to heat up some pre-cooked breaky or even beans and meat for a burrito,,, it just burns it and messes up the pot. so i just thought there might be a little micro out there but the all seem to be 700w for the smallest and like the gent above said,,, probably need a way bigger inverter. so it is not that i want it fast,, i just don't want to burn it and putting in the old coleman stove,, it's kind of big and takes up a lot of room so...just trying to think outside the box
Click to expand...

I remember before we had electricity at our cabin. We used a generator, and a small microwave. Our 3000w would drag down quite a bit with the microwave. Our 1400w would overload and shut off. Have you looked at one of those butane stoves. Small and work great. I have 2.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MBroenkow
VI Overlander said:
If you want to use a very small microwave, then you would probably require 2000w inverter to run more than 30 seconds. Inverters are rated at peak output, that’s not constant run. As mentioned previous find the wattage for the appliance you intended to use and double the wattage for the intended inverter. Most 120v microwaves run in excess of 10a, I would say an average of 12a.
Click to expand...
thanks,,, good to know
 
Autism Family Travels said:
I remember before we had electricity at our cabin. We used a generator, and a small microwave. Our 3000w would drag down quite a bit with the microwave. Our 1400w would overload and shut off. Have you looked at one of those butane stoves. Small and work great. I have 2.
Click to expand...
i will check it out,,,,what brand?
 
In a different direction, I used to wrap precooked stuff in foil and leave it on the engine block while driving. Even cooked some chicken if I started first thing in the morning. May not be feasible for breakfast. Depending on what you are doing it is possible to vacuum seal and boil it to reheat.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MBroenkow and Offroadnutz
You might consider getting a 12v cooler/warmer. I have a Wagan that I replaced my center console with. The cooling part doesn't get as cool as id like but the warmer part gets to 160 degrees and works good for warming up food as you drive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FishinCrzy
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom